Re: [Lilypond] How to add chorus to multi-verse lead sheet for guitar?

[Aaron Hill]

On 2019-05-21 8:48 pm, John Helly wrote:
> Mahalo. Definite maybe.  I found a reference to using multiple voices 
> in
> the learning manual that might be a more general solution but don't
> understand it yet.

One thing multiple voices would let you do is separate the melody 
between the verse and chorus so you may associate the lyrics 
independently.  Consider:

%%%%
\version "2.19.82"

Song.Voice.Verse = \fixed c' { f4 f g g | a2 c' }
Song.Voice.Chorus = \fixed c' { bes4 a g bes | a1 }

Song.Lyrics.VerseI = \lyricmode { Lyr -- ics for the | first verse. }
Song.Lyrics.VerseII = \lyricmode { Sec -- ond verse has | these words. }
Song.Lyrics.VerseIII = \lyricmode { Syl -- la -- bles on | verse three. 
}
Song.Lyrics.Chorus = \lyricmode { Cho -- rus text goes | here. }

<<
  \new Staff {
    \key f \major
    \new Voice = "verse" { \Song.Voice.Verse \bar "||" }
    \new Voice = "chorus" { \Song.Voice.Chorus \bar ":|." }
  }
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "verse" { \Song.Lyrics.VerseI }
  \new Lyrics <<
    \lyricsto "verse" { \Song.Lyrics.VerseII }
    \lyricsto "chorus" { \Song.Lyrics.Chorus } >>
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "verse" { \Song.Lyrics.VerseIII } >>

%%%%

Note that I have, like Karlin recommended, put the lyrics for the chorus 
in the same Lyrics context as those for the second verse.  If you have 
an odd number of verses, you typically will include the chorus with the 
middle one so you automatically get the correct vertical alignment.

However, if the chorus text only ever appears on its own line (as it 
would if you add a \break after \bar "||"), then it should not matter 
which Lyrics context the words are in.  In fact, you could add a new one 
just for the chorus.


-- Aaron Hill